Walter E. Grauman Movies
A former stage director, Walter Grauman turned to films in 1957. Most of Grauman's big-screen efforts were unremarkable, with the exception of his taut 1964 thriller Lady in a Cage. He is best known for his TV work on such weekly series as The Untouchables and The Twilight Zone. Walter Grauman has also directed a wealth of worthwhile TV-movies and miniseries, among them The Old Man Who Cried Wolf (1970), The Streets of San Francisco (1971), The Memory of Eva Riker (1980), Bare Essence (1982), and the slicked-down 1981 remake of Valley of the Dolls. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1996
This episode takes place in Osaka, Japan, where a wealthy motor-company executive has promised his daughter in marriage to the son of a business associate. An American race-car driver (Rick Walsh) dares to defy tradition by romancing the girl himself--and when the girl's husand-to-be is killed, the driver not only faces murder charges, but also the likelihood of his own murder. Having arrived in Osaka to deliver a computer disk to the luckless driver, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) ends up playing detective for the 252nd time. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1996
In Australia for a seminar, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) receives word that she has inherited 130,000 acreas of land currently used for sheep grazing. The locals aren't happy when Jessica arrives to claim her property, believing her to be in cahoots with a powerful mining company. Evidently someone is so displeased by Jessica's presence that they're willing to commit murder--twice. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
J.C.Brandy is cast as teenage tennis star Louise Henderson, whose father--and manager--Lane Henderson (Leon Russom) is notorious for his domineering attitude towards his daughter. So rattled is Louise by her father's relentless badgering that begins suffering nightmares, and ultimately stands up to Lane and refuse to follow his orders any further. Shortly afterward, Lane is found murdered--and Jessica (Angela Lansbury) steps into court (the tennis court, that is) in hopes of proving that Louise is not the killer. This is the final episode of Murder, She Wrote's 11th season. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1995
To escape his persistent--and dishonest--corporate sponsors, a Nobel Prize-winning microbiologist fakes his own death. It's a clever ruse, but not a particularly healthy one: soon afterward, the missing scientist turns up murdered for real. Typically, the wrong man is accused of the crime, obliging Jessica (Angela Lansbury) to take over investigation of the case herself...while her old friend Lt. Artie Gelber (Herb Edelman) fusses and fumes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
While watching TV with a group of friends, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is amused by an amateurish-looking production being presented on a cable-access channel. Before long, however, Jessica realizes that the "production" is the real thing: the TV is hooked up to a surveillance system. Worse still, the on-screen "characters" are planning a big-time robbery, with murder a likely option! Future Everybody Loves Raymond costar Doris Roberts shows up as a woman with a very, very serious problem. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
As part of a promotional book tour, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) agrees to appear in a TV informercial. Also appearing is Matt Matthews (Anthony Zerbe), a once-popular author laid low by alcoholism. It turns out that Matthews--who of course is an old friend of Jessica's--is acquainted with a member of the informercial's studio audience, and with a blackmailing professional extra, both of whom are murdered in the course of the action. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
In Texas, a member of a truck-hijacking ring turns up murdered. The evidence points to Rob Platt (Patrick Cassidy), the son of Wayne Platt (Earl Holliman), owner of a small trucking firm that was being victimized by the crooks. Inasmuch as Wayne is an old friend of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), one can safely assume that the truth will soon be revealed and the actual murderer put in irons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Season Ten of Murder, She Wrote concludes as a small-time carnival pitches its tents just outside Cabot Cove. The troupe's arrival coincides with a series of mysterious burglaries which plagued the town. Then, the carnival's larcenous magician Carl Dorner (Bradford Dillman) is murdered--and that's when Jessica (Angela Lansbury) stars performing a bit of verbal prestidigitation in order to figure out which of Dorner's many enemies perpetrated the deed. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1994
Tragedy strikes the publishing industry when Jessica Fletcher's editor Edward Graham (Robert Desiderio), a man known for his extreme mood swings, falls out of his Manhattan office window to his death. The police are content to rule Graham's demise as a suicide, but Jessica doesn't buy this. She is convinced that Graham was murdered--and possibly by someone very, very close to him. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
George Segal plays the well-nicknamed Daffy Dave Navarro, who has recently been acquitted on charges of murdering his first wife. Now Daffy Dave is determined to sue for a generous share of royalties from a book written by Jessica (Angela Lansbury) and purportedly based on his case. But this time, Dave may have overplayed his hand--and another murder is the result. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
A mysterious gentleman named Lawrence Baker (David Birney) moves into Cabot Cove and takes possession of a Victorian mansion that is regarded as a local landmark. Baker's curious behavior causes rumors to fly that there is something supernatural, even vampiric about him. And then, Baker is found dead...with a wooden stake through his heart. Jessica (Angela Lansbury) of course wants to find out what really happened--after all, detective work is in her bloooood! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Having just wrapped up four seasons of Doogie Howser MD, Neil Patrick Harris appears in this episode as delivery boy Tommy Ramsen. Having been found kneeling at the body of a murdered woman, Tommy claims that he merely witnessed the crime--and that he himself was shot by the killer. The police don't buy this story and place Tommy in custody, but Jessica (Angela Lansbury), a friend of both Tommy and the dead woman, suspects that there's more to the situation than meets the eye. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1993
Cabot Cove has been chosen as the location for the pre-Broadway staging of a new play starring David North (Peter Donat), a prominent actor who is emerging from a 10-year retirement. No sooner have rehearsals started than a murder occurs, with North's business manager Eric Benderson (Bradford Dillman) as the victim. Needless to say, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) is determined to find out "who done it"--and this time, there are plenty of subtle pop-cultural clues at hand, thanks to the cunning of screenwriter J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
This episode is set in Ireland, where Jessica (Angela Lansbury) has arrived to research a new book in the company of her college colleague, retired Irish detective Sean Culhane (George Hearn). Invited to stay at the home of wealthy developer Neal Gillen (Dakin Matthews), Jessica and Sean are among those present when Gillen suddenly dies, presumably of natural causes. It turns out, however, that Gillen's death may have been premeditated--and may also have been tied in with a local legend concerning the spirit of a "crying woman." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) heads to Carmel, California, to console her old friend, playwright Martin Tremaine (Darren McGavin), whose wife has recentlhy committed suicide. Before long, an attempt is made on Tremaine's life--but another member of his family ends up as the victim. Can it be that the late Mrs. Tremayne has arisen from her grave to exact revenge against her husband? ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
This episode marks the first appearance of Sean Culhane (George Hearn) a retired Irish detective now serving on the same Manhattan University faculty as Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury). After being heard threatening the life of an old enemy from the Auld Sod--a contractor who had recently relocated to New York--Culhane is charged with the man's murder. Jessica of course is convinced that Culhane is being framed, and she won't rest until she is proven right. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1992
Randall Sloan (Brian McNamara), a former student of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury), returns to Cabot Cove to research his new book. Despite several ominous warnings to drop the project, Randall is determined to complete his volume, a searing expose of a 30-year-old scandal involving two of the town's most prominent families, that Latimers and the Weymouths. You guessed it: Randall is killed, and Jessica is enlisted by Sheriff Mort Metzger (Ron Masak) to help find the killer. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Not long after ruthless journalist Jane Dawson (Jessica Walter) informs Jessica (Angela Lansbury) of her plans to publish an unauthorized biography of former movie star Ellen Lombard (Barbara Bain), Jane is found electrocuted in a hot tub, thanks to a TV set which "accidentally" tumbled into the water. Seen fleeing from the scene of the tragedy is Ellen's husband, Arthur Brent (Bradford Dillman)--who, inevitably, is one of Jessica's oldest and dearest friends. In her efforts to clear Arthur's name, Jessica leaves no stone unturned...nor does she fail to find out who it was who first "discovered" Jane's body. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Lois Nettleton guest stars as Ginny Blanchard, who is accused of killing her abusive husband, wealthy business executive and dilettante polo player Clark Blanchard (Chad Everett). When it becomes clear that the long-suffering Ginny is not about to defend in court, her friend Jessica (Angela Lansbury) sets about to prove her innocence. Inasmuch as the late Mr. Blanchard would never have qualified for a "mister nice guy" award, the suspect list is a daunting one, including Blanchard's mistress (Lisa Pelikan) and his stepson (Hank Stratton). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) decides to retire her trusty typewriter and signs up for a computer course. While deep in study, she stumbles across a case of illegal computer hacking--which of course leads to murder. The victim this time out is one of the two men in charge of the computer school, while the suspects include the dead man's wife, his mistress, and the elusive hacker (or at least, the hacker was elusive until Jessica entered the scene!) ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
While dining out in Boston, Jessica (Angela Lansbury) and Seth (William Windom) are witness to a mob "hit." The victim is a member of the powerful Abruzzi crime family, who despite Seth's efforts to save him does not survive. Enter the dead man's vengeful son Michael (Vincent Irizarry), who kidnaps both Seth and Jessica--meaning that it is literally a matter of life and death for Jessica to find out who ordered the elder Abruzzi's assassination and prove to Michael that Seth was not responsible for his dad's demise. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
Imagine the astonishment of Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) when she picks up a newspaper and reads that she has been killed in a Texas car accident! In truth, the dead woman was Marge Allen (Jane Withers), arguably the most obsessive member of the Jessica Fletcher Fan Club. While impersonating Jessica, Marge decided to investigate a scandal at a local dog-show, only to perish in the aforementioned "accident." Now that she's in the unique position of probing into her "own" murder, Jessica has time aplenty to grill the obligatory suspects, among them a kennel owner, the owner's wife, and a trigger-happy hunter. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1991
In the seventh-season finale of Murder She Wrote, Jessica Fletcher (Angela Lansbury) joins forces with her old friend, Boston PI Harry McGraw (Jerry Orbach), to solve a murder. The victim was Nick Culhane (Pat Harrington Jr.) a former writer turned spokesman for a major beer manufacturing firm. It turns out that at the time of his death, Nick had been working on an expose of dirty doings within the powerful brewing family who had hired him! Featured in the cast is former US Postmaster General Anthony Frank...as a mailman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
Jessica (Angela Lansbury) shows up on Wall Street, there to make her very first personal investment in the stock market. As inevitably as night follows day, Jessica's stockbroker promptly turns up murdered. The police figure that the dead man's secretary is the culprit...but as usual, Jessica doesn't take stock (ouch!) in the conventional wisdom, and sets out to find the real murderer on her own. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1990
The murder of a popular romance novelist sets America's favorite rumpled detective on the case. Columbo gets off on the wrong gumshoe when he forces an innocent gigolo to confess to the crime. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
